I couldn't find a HTPC section to our forum so I put it here. If I'm wrong then please move it.

I have a POS HTPC now, but I want to step it up a notch, I want to game and possibly fold on it, and be able to play Blu-ray discs

I was considering something like a P5Q-EM motherboard as it can do Blu-ray with audio over HDMI with little to no issues.... however...

It won't fold...

and it won't game...

I plan to emulate Wii and play other games on my HTPC.

It seems like I'm going to end up using an Nvidia video card, I guess. I would use ATI, and maybe actually prefer it as it would give me an excuse to NOT fold on the damn thing and actually leave it to be a nice quiet HTPC box, not a noisy, squealing, hot folding machine.

Anyway, I'd like to have 7.1 or 7.2 (whatever the cool people use these days) audio passed over HDMI into my reciever (which I don't have yet) or directly into my TV (which I will do for now)

I see my GTX260 has a cable for SPDIF into the Nvidia video card, will this pass 7.1 audio fine? What output do I use? Is a DVI to HDMI converter fine with this setup? Will it pass the audio or will the converter have to be a special one?

Basically I've not done any sort of audio over HDMI whatsoever and I actually think some of you know what the hell you're talking about

I'm not being lazy, I've already googled but most people are fine with integrated video.

Oh, and I have an Antec Fusion Max case, so it'll hold an ATX motherboard and have a good PSU if I want...

I'm currently building one with that exact mobo I have taken out of my gaming rig since I did not get any decent offers.

I'll drop a cheap dual core(already found) and take it from there. It has a HDMI out already, if it works good without lag i'll be happy, if it does not, i'll just overclock it a little or drop a spare 4850 I have here. I dont know how it will go yet, for me it'll be 99% to playback 720p/1080p movies/tv shows i'll have picked-up.

Anyway, I'd like to have 7.1 or 7.2 (whatever the cool people use these days) audio passed over HDMI into my reciever (which I don't have yet) or directly into my TV (which I will do for now)

I see my GTX260 has a cable for SPDIF into the Nvidia video card, will this pass 7.1 audio fine? What output do I use? Is a DVI to HDMI converter fine with this setup? Will it pass the audio or will the converter have to be a special one?

Basically I've not done any sort of audio over HDMI whatsoever and I actually think some of you know what the hell you're talking about

Yes it does work, seeing as i've tried it myself when i first got my card. The little DVI - HDMI converter it comes along with.

Thanks for the info. I'm building a cheap HTPC and was wondering about the audio through a DVI-HDMI converter.
I using a spare 9600GT (with the S/PDIF cable). I'm going to finish the build tonight and try it (hopefully).

I have an xfx 4350 and it will put 7.1 sound through hdmi cables. I do not have it hooked up to my surround sound, because i don't have a reciever yet; however, I know that it will because i read reviews on it before i bought it. I have never had a problem watching movies or playing the n64 emulator on it.